“Now, gentlemen, let us do something today which the world may talk of hereafter.”

Wouldn’t that make an excellent slogan to be printed on a team’s kit?Why, yes, I’m looking at you, Mr. Hodgson…

Luckily, The Collingwood Society is more successful in its endeavours than Team England, and has yet again organised a plethora of magnificent events, to which you are all duly invited. I’d say a broad variety of interests will get covered! Download your 2014 PROGRAMME here.

The event of 23 October caught my eye, for it promises to be great fun:

The 3rd Annual General Meeting of the Collingwood Society, followed by ‘Forebitters’. A ‘forebitter’ was a sailor’s song, traditionally sung for recreation in the forecastle accommodation of an evening, as opposed to the more functional shanties which accompanied the various work tasks aboard ship. The concept of allowing rank and file members a 5-minute slot on anything Collingwood-related was received with enthusiasm when mooted at the 2013 AGM, so we are embarking on our first ‘open mike’ session, so to speak! Half a dozen or so ‘turns’ – mini-lecture, song, poetry, dance, costume, who knows??! Volunteers please apply to the Secretary before the Summer recess – this may take some organising!! Free admission for Society members, £2 for others.

Volounteers, don’t delay, apply today!

And here are some gentlemen who did something the world (well, the Morpeth Herald) did talk of hereafter: at a recent meeting of the Morpeth Rotary Club, guest speaker Captain Stephen Healy, President of the Vice-Admiral Lord Collingwood Association, gave a talk to members about the admiral and his links with Morpeth.

(Did they mix up the names for the pictures, I wonder? Me thinks Captain Healy is the one on the left?)

In completely different news, and just so you can stop nagging me about it: The Admiral Collingwood Pub in Ilfracombe is now open for business. You can look at many, many pictures here. Why it was named after Collingwood – I have no idea. Looking at the toilets, Ye Olde Beetlejuice might have been more appropriate…? But good luck to them, and many happy guests!